Technology transition towards electric mobility - technology assessment as a tool for policy design

Paper presented at the Colloquium Gerpisa 2013, Paris (http://gerpisa.org/node/2085), Session n��: 19 New kinds of mobility: old and new business models

Futures of automobile industry and challenges on sustainable development and mobility

Portugal had only very few foresight exercises on the automobile sector, and the most recent one was a survey held in a project on work organisation systems in the automobile industry, its recent historical paths and the special strategies of location of companies (the WorTiS project). This involved several teams with different disciplinary backgrounds and from two Portuguese universities. The provisional main results of the first round of a Delphi survey held in Portugal on the automotive sector were already published, but a further analysis was not yet done. This foresight survey was done under the WorTiS project, developed in 2004 by IET ��� Research Centre on Enterprise and Work Innovation (at FCT-UNL), and financed by the Portuguese Ministry of Science and Technology. Some of this experience on foresight analysis is also been transferred to other projects, namely the WORKS project on work organisation restructuring in the knowledge society that received the support from EC and still is running. The majority of experts considered having an average of less knowledge in almost all the scenario topics presented. This means that information on the automotive industry is not spread enough among academics or experts in related fields (regional scientists, innovation economists, engineers, sociologists). Some have a good knowledge but in very specialised fields. Others have expertise on foresight, or macroeconomics, or management sciences, but feel insecure on issues related with futures of automobile sector. Nevertheless, we considered specially the topics where the experts considered themselves to have some knowledge. There were no ���irrelevant��� topics considered as such by the expert panel. There are also no topics that are not considered a need for co-operation. The lack of technological infrastructures was not considered as a hindered factor for the accomplishment of any scenario. The experts��� panel considered no other international competence besides US, Japan or Germany in these topics. Special focus will be made in this paper on the topic 2. Public policy and automobile industries, and more specifically on the technological and/or research policies issues, where one can specify the automobile���s role in transport policies with further implications like environment, safety, energy, mobility.

Influence of constraining and confinement in the molecular mobility of low molecular weight materials

Dissertation presented to obtain a Ph.D. Degree in Chemical Physics

Liquid crystal mobility and PDLC memory effects

Dissertation presented at Faculdade de Ci��ncias e Tecnologia of Universidade Nova de Lisboa to obtain the Degree of Master in Chemical and Biochemical Engineering

The new mobility paradigm: transformation of value chain and business models

We would like to thank Philipp Schwarz and Julia G��ckel for their dedicated support in preparing this paper and our colleagues and students of the School of Engineering and the Business School for our fruitful discussions.

Application of geographic information system and modelling in health impact assessment for urban road mobility in Vietnam

Transport is an essential sector in modern societies. It connects economic sectors and industries. Next to its contribution to economic development and social interconnection, it also causes adverse impacts on the environment and results in health hazards. Transport is a major source of ground air pollution, especially in urban areas, and therefore contributing to the health problems, such as cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, cancer, and physical injuries. This thesis presents the results of a health risk assessment that quantifies the mortality and the diseases associated with particulate matter pollution resulting from urban road transport in Hai Phong City, Vietnam. The focus is on the integration of modelling and GIS approaches in the exposure analysis to increase the accuracy of the assessment and to produce timely and consistent assessment results. The modelling was done to estimate traffic conditions and concentrations of particulate matters based on geo-references data. A simplified health risk assessment was also done for Ha Noi based on monitoring data that allows a comparison of the results between the two cases. The results of the case studies show that health risk assessment based on modelling data can provide a much more detail results and allows assessing health impacts of different mobility development options at micro level. The use of modeling and GIS as a common platform for the integration of different assessments (environmental, health, socio-economic, etc.) provides various strengths, especially in capitalising on the available data stored in different units and forms and allows handling large amount of data. The use of models and GIS in a health risk assessment, from a decision making point of view, can reduce the processing/waiting time while providing a view at different scales: from micro scale (sections of a city) to a macro scale. It also helps visualising the links between air quality and health outcomes which is useful discussing different development options. However, a number of improvements can be made to further advance the integration. An improved integration programme of the data will facilitate the application of integrated models in policy-making. Data on mobility survey, environmental monitoring and measuring must be standardised and legalised. Various traffic models, together with emission and dispersion models, should be tested and more attention should be given to their uncertainty and sensitivity

A Classifica����o Internacional de Funcionalidade, Incapacidade e Sa��de : um modelo multidimensional e multideterminado da funcionalidade em idosos assistidos na Rede

RESUMO: Os estudos sobre a funcionalidade da popula����o idosa t��m uma representa����o importante naquilo que �� o atual conhecimento da demografia do mundo. Portugal posiciona-se e perspetiva-se como pertencendo aos pa��ses mais envelhecidos, possuindo uma rede de cuidados p��s-agudos ��� a Rede Nacional de Cuidados Continuados Integrados (RNCCI)��� que assiste uma parcela importante dessa popula����o. Os aspetos conceptuais da funcionalidade de acordo com a OMS e operacionalizados pela Classifica����o Internacional de Funcionalidade (CIF), n��o mereceram at�� agora suficiente aplicabilidade no nosso pa��s, inviabilizando a possibilidade de oferecermos contributos para a sua operacionaliza����o. Da mesma forma, tamb��m os Core Sets da Classifica����o n��o t��m sido sujeitos a processos de valida����o que contemplem amostras portuguesas, mantendo-se desconhecimento da especificidade dos fatores contextuais na nossa popula����o. O presente estudo tem como objetivos conhecer a evolu����o da funcionalidade dos idosos assistidos na RNCCI na regi��o do Algarve nas unidades de convalescen��a e m��dia dura����o, validar o Core Set Geri��trico da OMS e propor uma vers��o abreviada da sua modalidade abrangente, no contexto destes cuidados. A amostra constitu��da por 451 idosos, dos quais 62,1% eram mulheres, revelou na pr��-morbilidade n��veis favor��veis de funcionalidade, com exce����o para as Atividades Dom��sticas. Contudo, os mais idosos (��� 85 anos), os indiv��duos sem escolaridade, as mulheres e os vi��vos/solteiros apresentaram mais casos desfavor��veis quando comparados com os seus pares. Na evolu����o da funcionalidade observ��mos melhorias significativas em todos os dom��nios avaliados, com diferen��as relativamente �� idade e �� escolaridade; apesar dos resultados positivos os mais idosos e os indiv��duos sem escolaridade apresentaram n��veis inferiores de evolu����o. No entanto, a funcionalidade alcan��ada revelou ficar com resultados significativamente inferiores na compara����o com aquela que os indiv��duos possu��am na pr��-morbilidade. Os modelos de regress��o revelaram que as Fun����es Mentais, a Perce����o do Estado de Sa��de e a atividade Usar o Telefone, foram as vari��veis que melhor explicaram os outcomes da funcionalidade alcan��ada. A valida����o do Core Set Geri��trico foi poss��vel na maioria das categorias, sendo que foi no componente das Fun����es do Corpo onde esse processo revelou maior fragilidade. As Fun����es Neuromusculoesquel��ticas e Relacionadas com o Movimento foram aquelas que registaram em ambos os momentos avaliativos frequ��ncias mais elevadas de defici��ncia, enquanto no componente Atividades & Participa����o isso ocorreu na atividade Utiliza����o dos Movimentos Finos da M��o. Os cap��tulos Apoios e Relacionamentos e Atitudes foram considerados os Fatores Ambientais mais Facilitadores mas tamb��m com maior impacto Barreira. A proposta para o Core Set Geri��trico Abreviado resultou das categorias independentes que explicaram os modelos da funcionalidade alcan��ada e cujo resultado engloba um conjunto de 27 categorias, com um enfoque importante no componente Atividades/Participa����o de onde se destacam os dom��nios da Mobilidade e dos Auto Cuidados. A funcionalidade dos indiv��duos e das popula����es deve ser considerada uma vari��vel incontorn��vel da Sa��de P��blica, cuja avalia����o deve refletir uma abordagem biopsicossocial, apoiada na Classifica����o Internacional de Funcionalidade. A operacionaliza����o da Classifica����o a partir dos Core Sets necessita de pesquisa mais aprofundada relativamente ��s carater��sticas psicom��tricas dos seus qualificadores e dos seus processos de valida����o.-----------ABSTRACT: The studies about the functioning of the elderly play an important role on what the present knowledge of the demography in the world is. Portugal figures high on the most aged countries, having a network of post-acute care - the National Network of Integrated Continuous Care (RNCCI) - which assists a large part of that population. The conceptual aspects of functioning according to WHO and operated by the International Classification of Functioning (ICF), have been insufficiently addressed concerning its adequate applicability in our country, hindering the contributions of its operation. In the same way, also the Core Sets of the Classification have not been subjected to validation procedures that include portuguese samples, keeping the unawareness of specificity of the contextual factors in our population. The objectives of the present study were to know the evolution of the functioning of the elderly assisted in the RNCCI in the Algarve region in units of convalescence and average duration, validate the WHO Geriatric Core Set and propose an abridged version of this comprehensive core set in this healthcare context. The sample was composed by 451 elderly people, of which 62.1% were women, they showed favourable levels in functioning in the pre-morbid state, except for Domestic Activities. However, the oldest (��� 85 years), the individuals with no education, women and widowed/ unmarried showed more unfavourable cases when compared to their peers. In the evolution of functioning we observed significant improvements in all domains assessed, with diferences with respect to age and education. In spite of positive results, the oldest and the individuals with no education showed lower levels of evolution. However, the functioning achieved showed significantly lower results when compared to the those observed in pre-morbidity state. Regression models reveal that Mental Functions, the Perceived Health Status and the Use of the Phone activity, were the variables that better explain the functioning of the outcomes achieved. The validation of the Geriatric Core Set of ICF was possible in most categories, and Body Functions was the component where this process showed greatest weakness. Neuromusculoskeletal and Movement-Related Functions experienced in both evaluation times with higher rates of disability, while in the Activities & Participation component this occurred in the Fine Hand Use activity. The Support and Relationships and Attitudes chapters were considered the Environmental Factors most Facilitators but also with greater impact Barrier. The proposal for the Brief Geriatric Core Set has resulted from the independent categories that explained the regression models of functioning and includes a set of 27 categories, with na important emphasis on Activities & Participation component where we can highlight the areas of Mobility and Self Care domains. The functioning of individuals and populations should be considered as an unavoidable variable of Public Health, of which the assessment should reflect a biopsychosocial approach, based on the International Classification of Functioning. The operationalization of the Classification from the Core Sets requires further research regarding the psychometric characteristics of their qualifiers and their validation procedure.

Pedestrian Priority Zones in the Context of Urban Mobility and Valorization of Public Space

The second half of the XX century was marked by a great increase in the number of people living in cities. Urban agglomerations became poles of attraction for migration flows and these phenomena, coupled with growing car-ownership rates, resulted in the fact that modern transport systems are characterized by large number of users and traffic modes. The necessity to organize these complex systems and to provide space for different traffic modes changed the way cities look. Urban areas had to cope with traffic flows, and as a result nowadays typical street pattern consists of a road for motorized vehicles, a cycle lane (in some cases), pavement for pedestrians, parking and a range of crucial signage to facilitate navigation and make mobility more secure. However, this type of street organization may not be desirable in certain areas, more specifically, in the city centers. Downtown areas have always been places where economic, leisure, social and other types of facilities are concentrated, not surprisingly, they often attract large number of people and this frequently results in traffic jams, air and noise pollution, thus creating unpleasant environment. Besides, excessive traffic signage in central locations can harm the image and perception of a place, this relates in particular to historical centers with architectural heritage.

Correlates of intergenerational mobility and political violence

This work project aims at exploring the role of intergenerational immobility in political violence. A cross-country macro-level analysis is done where no significant results are found. Additionally, an individual micro-level analysis is done where intergenerational mobility (measured through a proxy variable) has a negative significant effect in political violence

Historic and potential technology transition paths of grid battery storage: Co-evolution of energy grid, electric mobility and batteries

Scarcity of fuels, changes in environmental policy and in society increased the interest in generating electric energy from renewable energy sources (RES) for a sustainable energy supply in the future. The main problem of RES as solar and wind energy, which represent a main pillar of this transition, is that they cannot supply constant power output. This results inter alia in an increased demand of backup technologies as batteries to assure electricity system safety. The diffusion of energy storage technologies is highly dependent on the energy system and transport transition pathways which might lead to a replacement or reconfiguration of embedded socio-technical practices and regimes (by creating new standards or dominant designs, changing regulations, infrastructure and user patterns). The success of this technology is dependent on hardly predictable future technical advances, actor preferences, development of competing technologies and designs, diverging interests of actors, future cost efficiencies, environmental performance, the evolution of market demand and design and evolution of our society.

How to improve urban mobility in Lisbon: intermodality and information and ticketing systems

Urban mobility is one of the main challenges facing urban areas due to the growing population and to traffic congestion, resulting in environmental pressures. The pathway to urban sustainable mobility involves strengthening of intermodal mobility. The integrated use of different transport modes is getting more and more important and intermodality has been mentioned as a way for public transport compete with private cars. The aim of the current dissertation is to define a set of strategies to improve urban mobility in Lisbon and by consequence reduce the environmental impacts of transports. In order to do that several intermodal practices over Europe were analysed and the transport systems of Brussels and Lisbon were studied and compared, giving special attention to intermodal systems. In the case study was gathered data from both cities in the field, by using and observing the different transport modes, and two surveys were done to the cities users. As concluded by the study, Brussels and Lisbon present significant differences. In Brussels the measures to promote intermodality are evident, while in Lisbon a lot still needs to be done. It also made clear the necessity for improvements in Lisbon���s public transports to a more intermodal passenger transport system, through integration of different transport modes and better information and ticketing system. Some of the points requiring developments are: interchanges��� waiting areas; integration of bicycle in public transport; information about correspondences with other transport modes; real-time information to passengers pre-trip and on-trip, especially in buses and trams. After the identification of the best practices in Brussels and the weaknesses in Lisbon the possibility of applying some of the practices in Brussels to Lisbon was evaluated. Brussels demonstrated to be a good example of intermodality and for that reason some of the recommendations to improve intermodal mobility in Lisbon can follow the practices in place in Brussels.